And the World Rejoiced

The Chilean miners are one by one emerging from the ground to worldwide joy.

The miners emerged like clockwork, jubilantly embracing wives, children and rescuers and looking remarkably composed Wednesday after languishing for 69 days in the depths of a mine that easily could have been their tomb. The anxiety that had accompanied the final few days of preparation melted away at 12:11 a.m. when the stoutest of the 33 miners, Florencio Avalos, emerged from the missile-like rescue capsule smiling broadly after his half-mile journey to the surface. In a din of cheers, he hugged his sobbing 7-year-old son and wife and then President Sebastian Pinera, who has been deeply involved in an effort that had become a matter of national pride.

It’s the sight of dads being reunited with sons and daughters that’s most moving and most misty eyed producing. Thank God this story has ended with tears of joy.